It shouldn't. That England team wasn't at half strength. A full England team would beat the exiles this year by about 20 points. Graham and Burgess are both arguably in the top 5 forwards in the world, Ellis is a class act. Widdop is in the top ten stand offs in the world IMO. Reed is much better than was it ablett at centre? Westwood was also missing for the games. These players would make a huge differenc.

exactly..so what does that tell us if they can't beat us here and we can't beat them at there place???........heres a clue.....it certainly does'nt tell us they are "miles in front of us" lol

Results over the past decade would certainly suggest that the gap is closer than many give England credit for. I think individual NZ player reputation often gives people the impression that they are way ahead of us. It has been ######-for-tat for a while now but the main difference is that they found a way to beat Australia twice in meaningful finals.

I am bloody well fed up with this bleat about the G/B team being the one that would have the edge over an England side, HOW?

Who would be worthy of a place from the other constituent parts of the existing UK aka G/B who is not already chosen to be playing in the England team.

And my friend, it is almost imminent that the term of G/B is about to dissappear from history shortly as, in case it has slipped by you, there will soon be an referendum held in Scotland that will totally annul any concept of there being a G/B in name or nature, should our so-called Northern bretheren vote for independence, if only, I wish it would happen and soon. If only to stop the carping from some persistent quarters upon this very theme.

Thinking about it, the large gap from NZ to England is probably more down to the fact that Oz and NZ play each other more often. You get more ranking points for playing teams that are a higher ranking than you, so NZ playing Oz will get them more points than England playing Wales or France (and no ranking points for playing Exiles)

If you had GB brought back with the oppurtunity to be playing against Oz and NZ on tours then maybe we wouldnt see so many players switching countries within the UK making our own european tournament on an annual basis much stronger.

If there was a GB tour to oz to play for soon, maybe Rhys Evans from Bridgend would be running around with his brother in a welsh shirt on saturday, not in the England Knights Squad what a joke would certainly give him something to think about when making the decision, he can play for the country of his birth and also compete against the best in the world with GB Side.

Thinking about it, the large gap from NZ to England is probably more down to the fact that Oz and NZ play each other more often. You get more ranking points for playing teams that are a higher ranking than you, so NZ playing Oz will get them more points than England playing Wales or France (and no ranking points for playing Exiles)

What about the annual-ish Pacific Cup competitions between the Island nations + PNG? Do these not count as Tests?

Yep, but they're sadly infrequent - the Pacific Cup seems to have been delayed at the moment, if only the NRL/RLIF could keep them on a steady stream of funding (I assume this is the trouble), there's be a steady stream of recruits for the Kangaroos...